Running a WordPress business?
Of course you are! If you’re not, you can use these services for any form of online business.
In part 1, we’ll briefly cover WordPress hosting, a few plugins, and a couple or my choice productivity tools. There’s some cross compatibility from the blogging tips post, but I’ve wrapped some new context around the areas that apply. This post was inspired by Carrie Dils and her review of SaaS software for her own WordPress business.
I hope this helps you make some new decisions and enables you to run a better WordPress business.
Contents
Tools of the WordPress trade
Listen to the audio version
Some of the following links are affiliate links. They help pay for the show and put food on the table for my family. Thank you!
WordPress hosting
As I stated in the podcast and in the video, this is not an in-depth review of WordPress hosts. This is a quick fly-by of hosts I’ve use and how you can use them too. I do plan on discussing WordPress hosts more in depth in another post.
Linode
Linode is a great VPS service if you’re looking to get your hands dirty. Their offerings are powerful and affordable. If you’re looking to host many WordPress websites and you know your way around Linux security give these guys a shot. In terms of uptime and performance I’ve had great results. Their support is also fast and friendly which is very important.
Pros:
Affordable
Powerful features
Great support
Cons:
Support is not WordPress specific
You have to know how to configure your own linux instance
Your on the line for major performance or security issues
Digital Ocean
A $5 a month stomping ground. There’s a handful of localhost development environments, but there’s nothing quite like the real thing. Digital Ocean provides little droplets for running various flavors of Linux. Like Linode, you will need to be up to speed on setting up a Linux environment and locking down anything you don’t want the bad guys to get. I think this is a great solution for testing plugins or running dev environments.
Pros:
$5 a month
Fast
Easy
Cons:
Not sure how their product will scale compared to a Linode
You still have to configure/support yourself
SiteGround
Support. Support. Super fast support. This is the most important factor for me. Period. This site has run on SG for the last 3 – 4 months and I’ve been blown away by their level of support. I’m not just talking talking level 1 “we got your message and we’ll work on this” SOP responses – I’m talking full blown, in-depth responses. Backups, staging servers, and WordPress specific optimization plans are also available.
Pros:
Awesome support
Affordable
Feature rich
Cons:
Still a shared environment
Not your typical “managed WordPress” host
Namecheap
Not much to say here other than it’s my go to source for registering domains. Easy to use control panel with zero fluff or complexity. They also have an awesome API to tap into if you’re into that kind of thing.
Pros:
Unadulterated domain registration
Affordable
Cons
They don’t give me free domains
Plugins
SearchWP + FacetWP
I love the combination of these two plugins for building search rich sites. We build a lot of sites for travel and tourism that end up needing a directory of content. I’m also working on a podcast search function for this site leveraging both that I’ll do a write up on. If you need to extend your search capability, look no further!
Pros
Better search
Faceted search
Cons
You need to know how to build some basic template files for search output
WPTouch
Do’t get me wrong, I love responsive design but sometimes it’s not the best for every situation. Further, if you’re selling your client on the ability to manage mobile content and the layout of it — this plugin is for you. Their latest version is awesome and I don’t think it gets enough credit.
Pros
Super simple mobile website development
Awesome add-on features
Great looking themes
Cons
Not for the purist web developer
Unsure how it will handle scale or truly unique layouts
Advanced Custom Fields
9 out of 10 custom WordPress projects I’ve done require some type custom post type and group of custom fields. ACF is a plugin I can say I absolutely enjoy using. The admin UI is buttery smooth and intuitive which makes for a a great combo when handing the keys over to a client.
Pros
Awesome UI
Great for rapid prototyping
Add-ons
Cons
I’d love to see more powerful add-ons
You still have to know how to build templates for output
Productivity
Trello
I love lists. I also love boards and cards thanks to Trello. I didn’t make the switch form Basecamp to Trello just because it’s free either. It’s simply a more productive environment for collaborating with my team and the tasks/projects we have at hand. The fact that it’s super reactive and real time doesn’t hurt either. Looking for a great productivity tacker? Try Trello.
Pros
Free
Super easy
Share files, tasks and more with teammates
Cons
It’s not a place for clients
Upload limits on free plan. (seriously, just pay)
Screenflow
If you’re training clients or documenting custom features do it with Screenflow. If you want to start your very own podcast, do it with Screenflow. Want to make product demonstrations? You guessed it. Do it with Screenflow.
Pros
Best screen recording software on the market. (Mac)
Easy to use
Export directly to YouTube or Vimeo
Cons
Premium price tag
I’d like to see more effects
I’d like to see more editing capabilities for audio & video
That’s a wrap
First, I want you to let us know what tools you’re using in the comments section.
Second, if you’re just starting out with your new WordPress business shoot me an e-mail if you have a question about any of these services or apps. I’m happy to help anyway I can. Don’t forget to subscribe to the mailing list to stay up to date.
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